Snacks

Why is it so important to eat healthy snacks, and how can you make sure yours fit the bill?

It's important to eat something healthy and nutritious in the middle of the morning or afternoon in order to stave off hunger pangs and prevent you feeling starving by the time your next main meal comes around.

If you let that happen, you're more likely to make food choices that aren't so healthy and also to over-eat, says 12WBT dietitian Georgie Moore.

Nutritious snacks will also help you to stop grazing on biscuits, chocolates or other 'treat' items throughout the day, and they're a great way to have one of your daily servings of fruit or low-fat dairy, for example.

What to Avoid

While it's important to eat a snack between main meals, some are healthier than others.

Some of the not-so-healthy ones we often reach for include packets of chips, roasted nuts, lollies or biscuits from the office jar.

Then there are those we might think are healthy but are actually full of sugar and fat, such as muesli bars and muffins, or loaded with high-GI ingredients, such as sushi, which has a disproportionate amount of white rice bound together with sugar.

Foods like these might satisfy us temporarily, but they leave us with a feeling of wanting "more".

If they've become part of our eating habits, we tell ourselves we need them to get through the day - particularly in the afternoon - but nothing could be further from the truth, says Georgie.

"Poor food choices can lead to a feeling of fatigue soon after we've experienced an initial high from the food," she explains.

"To solve that slump we tend to reach for another food that will provide an instant result or blood sugar spike rather than something that will provide more sustained energy.

"These fluctuations in our energy levels are not good for our health and often we end up eating more throughout the day because we choose high-calorie snacks."

What to Look for

A snack should be high in nutritional value, with a good mix of protein, low-GI carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals

It should be low in fat, salt and sugar

Ideally it would be high in fibre

It should be convenient - easy to make, peel or to carry with you

However, it needn't be easy to eat. If it's something that takes some time to chew and consume, it prevents "mindless" eating or grazing, where you don't even notice what you've had

Examples of What to Choose

If you've been used to munching on chocolate, chips, biscuits or cake between meals, it can be hard to know what to choose as a healthy snack, so here are three of Georgie's top picks:

"Nothing beats a piece of fruit or some veggies," she says. "An apple, banana or even a carrot all travel well, are budget friendly and easy to buy at any time of year. Fruit provides a great vitamin and mineral boost, plus plenty of fibre."

"A tub of low-fat yoghurt will help increase your dairy intake for the day and provide some protein. It's also low GI so will keep your blood sugar levels more stable and leave you feeling fuller for longer."

"Air-popped popcorn is a great option. It's incredibly filling and has few calories but plenty of fibre. You can buy air-popped popcorn in single-portion sizes which are very easy and convenient."

* Results may vary. Exercise and proper diet are necessary to
achieve and maintain weight loss.

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